A New Year, A Fresh Start… and the Same You …or Not. (That is up to you.)

Quinn Takei
Jan 16
3 min read

It’s a New Year! Happy 2026!

The calendar flips. All too often, suddenly, everyone is drinking green juice, buying planners, renewing their gym membership, and trying to convince themselves, “This is the year.”

And then… life happens… like it does. We get busy. We delay our “start day”. Eventually, we have to table all those intentions because too much other stuff needs your attention. Time goes on and we forget all about our plans for change…. Well, we always have next year.

Sound familiar?

I actually love the start of a new year (as you have probably already picked up from my previous newsletters). What I like is not the resolutions, not the pressure, not the dramatic reinvention… No, for me it is a time of natural introspection and most importantly, it’s the quiet invitation.

You get to choose again.

Not to become someone else.Not to overhaul your entire life overnight.It’s the invitation to reinvest in yourself—intentionally, honestly, and in a way that actually fits your life.

As 2026 has just started, I encourage you to fully embrace this invitation with open arms and an open heart. If you don’t make yourself a priority, no one else is going to do it for you. Many of us are very good at showing up for everyone else. Family. Work. Friends. More Work. And all the other responsibilities. I suspect if we wait until the schedule clears, the stress eases, or the “right time” appears before we focus on ourselves…we will be waiting for a very long time… Probably forever. Somehow, that time never quite arrives.

The New Year offers a gentle but powerful question:

What are you ready to commit to now that will actually enhance your life?

Not what you should do. Not what Instagram says you need. Not what worked for your neighbor’s cousin.

But what you are really ready for.

Maybe it’s:

· Finally addressing symptoms you’ve been managing instead of resolving

· Creating routines that support your energy instead of draining it

· Getting clear information about your health instead of guessing

· Having guidance instead of doing everything on your own

· Or simply deciding that feeling “okay” isn’t good enough anymore

This isn’t about perfection or discipline. It’s about alignment.

Real change doesn’t often come from forcing your way through January, abiding by some detox program, a specific restricted diet, a new workout schedule…. It comes from choosing support, consistency, and accountability—especially when motivation fades (and it always does).

During my decades of patient care, I have observed that people don’t change because the calendar tells them to. They change when they decide they’re worth the investment.

So as this new year begins, I invite you to pause and ask yourself:

· What am I tired of tolerating?

· What would feel better if I had support?

· What would my life look like if I made myself a top priority in my life?

You don’t need to do everything. You just need to start with something.

And sometimes, the most powerful first step is simply getting honest and real. You don’t need to figure it all out on your own. You don’t need to carry it all on your own anymore. Enroll good people and good resources to support you in your process.

Here’s to a new year!

A new healthy year.

A year of intention, not of pressure. A year of not becoming someone new—but of finally taking care of the person you already are.

Cheers to the start of a great year!!!

Warmly,

Quinn

Article by Quinn Akira Takei, Doctor of Oriental Medicine(NM), Licensed Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist, Functional Medicine Practitioner, and Holistic Health & Wellness Coach.